Don’t eat geckos: Malay Fatwa Council to Muslims

Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia`s Islamic National Fatwa Council has asked Muslims not to eat geckos or use them for medicinal purposes, saying it fell within "filthy" category of animals.

After a two-day consultation, the council ruled that geckos fell within "filthy" category of animals for Muslims and it urged them not to make eating the reptiles a habit, Malay language daily Berita Harian reported.

The reptiles, which are quiet popular, can reportedly fetch up to thousands of rupees each for their purported medicinal value, including supposedly being a remedy for diseases like AIDS.

However, the paper said Chinese medical practitioners believed that the lizards` dried organs, such as the heart and skin, could be used to treat skin diseases but not AIDS.

"Medical use of geckos is only allowed if the health benefits are scientifically proven and there is no other alternative," the council said.